Figure 3
An artist’s impression of
a black hole X-ray binary.
The system consists of a
black hole (left) in a
binary orbit with a normal
star (right). Matter
streams from the normal
star onto the black hole
and forms an accretion
disc, which produces an
enormous luminosity in
X-rays. In some cases
this accretion also
launches relativistic jets
of material from the
region around the black
hole. Such X-ray binaries
provide very compelling
evidence for the
existence of black holes
with masses of roughly
ten times that of the Sun.
Credit: ESO/L. Calçada.